On the ground-no blind

[jonny5buck]

I will be honest here, where i hunt [mostly] there is no advantage to being on the ground.Usually it's the climbing sticks and a portable simply because the field of view,scent,and blending in can be accomplished so much better at 20 + ft .Here's a few examples of when i ground hunt,my technique and what most do wrong that i see.Usually i only ground hunt when there is NO good trees,or an advantage can be accomplished on the ground.First- the wind is absolutely critical on the ground,if it's wrong why risk clearing a field,and putting the deer on high alert?An ''AIR PUFFER'' is essential for currents,they don't always blow how you think they do.I ALWAYS,ALWAYS stalk my way in slowly[wether on the ground or stand-no exceptions]Secondly- my backdrop is everything,most guys i see worry to much about in front instead of behind them.Most important is drawing your bow i do it several times,listening how much noise i make,and any obstructions/sticks etc. must be cleared.I also prefer to hunt without a blind usualy around downed tree or something to really break up your outline.Deer aren't blind!! a ground blind usually takes the deer to get adjusted to and rarely presents and advantage for me.I also prefer hunting with a decoy,again something to keep the deer's eyes off my direction just long enough to draw the bow.I have watched several guys get frustrated and walk around,and fidget around non stop.Remember that movement is usually what alerts us to deer movement.Finally snow! if you have never tried it get out there,im hooked on hunting with snow camo on the ground,it seems like you can get away with a lot-deers perception is muffled with the white on,and there movement is so much easier to pick up on.Solid white or natural gear are good patterns.Sometimes a piece of carpet on the ground and a hot seat to sit on are enough to pull off a shot without crunching the snow-and dont forget to bring some sort of a bow hook -you wont wanna be holding your bow to long in the cold.

[Woods Walker]

Well said jonny5! Good advice there!

[Blake Dandurand]

Will surely keep your post in mind when out "pounding the ground", haha.

[frank8871]

I'm mainly a bow hunter but took up the shotgun season after getting skunked 2 years in a row, I love deer meat.My ground setup for shotgun season the last 3 years is to sit in the middle of the woods on a folding lawn chair w/ foot rest, gun across my lap, drinking coffee, eating donuts, chain-smoking cigs, farting and peeing when I need to, with no regard to scent. Have shot deer every year at less than bow range (6pt was grazing so close I could have poked him with a stick) . Sure wish Illinois DNR would bump firearms season back a couple of weeks so bowhunters could hunt the peak of rut.

[jonny5buck]

I'm mainly a bow hunter but took up the shotgun season after getting skunked 2 years in a row, I love deer meat.My ground setup for shotgun season the last 3 years is to sit in the middle of the woods on a folding lawn chair w/ foot rest, gun across my lap, drinking coffee, eating donuts, chain-smoking cigs, farting and peeing when I need to, with no regard to scent. Have shot deer every year at less than bow range (6pt was grazing so close I could have poked him with a stick) . Sure wish Illinois DNR would bump firearms season back a couple of weeks so bowhunters could hunt the peak of rut.

Do you have a brother who hunts silver springs state park..in Illinois???...i used to run into a guy.. using your same technique while hunting on a bright ,white ,bucket with his crossbow...he used to smoke cigars .chew tobbacco and eat little debbie snacks ...the only differeance is he never got a deer ...and left all his garbage in the woods....i hope you pack out what you take in..i cant stand seeing those orange gloves in the woods.or garbage from hunters....

If your killing deer that way keep it up...some spots are like that..easy...most places are harder than that...

[frank8871]

LOL , No my brother doesn't hunt there and yes I take out everything I bring in. Definetly not an easy place to hunt though. I bow hunt there regularly during archery season, and more often than not don't see any deer, (that would be with no eating, smoking, peeing or farting, totally concealed and with the utmost attention to scent conrol). Guess all I was saying was that deer act very non-chalante* during the peak of the rut, and I wish us bowhunters could hunt the rut before gun season starts. Hell I've shot deer during gun season just so they didn't walk into me.

[DEER30]

I wish I could find a place like that to hunt. It would make time in the stand a lot more comfortable. I hunt from the ground a lot during muzzleloader and firearm seasons, especially in late season. Hunting in the mountains of Virginia means long hikes, usually too long to lug a treestand along. And in late season, going for quiet strolls not only breaks up the hours but gets the blood moving and keeps you warm. I agree that playing the wind is important but in the mountains the thermals change constantly. I find that being quiet, walking slowly, and stopping often to survey the woods is most effective. I usually try to stop and set up on a place where there is a downed tree or logs or rhododendron to provide cover. I once shot a deer 2 1/2 miles from where i parked the truck. Packing out 80 lbs of meat is hard enough let alone with a treestand, so ground hunting is often the only way to go.

Bow season I have had limited luck from the ground. But still find myself attempting it when there is no other option. But mostly I stick to the trees to poke one with stick and string.

[Woods Walker]

Two words........GHILLIE SUIT. The blind you wear, so you can hunt anywhere.

[HuntingFool94]

LOL , No my brother doesn't hunt there and yes I take out everything I bring in. Definetly not an easy place to hunt though. I bow hunt there regularly during archery season, and more often than not don't see any deer, (that would be with no eating, smoking, peeing or farting, totally concealed and with the utmost attention to scent conrol). Guess all I was saying was that deer act very non-chalante* during the peak of the rut, and I wish us bowhunters could hunt the rut before gun season starts. Hell I've shot deer during gun season just so they didn't walk into me.

Dude you are so wrong about gun season in IL - first "3" days of gun season is well after the rut every year - I have been hunting Southern IL for years, it is always the weekend before Thanksgiving. I have taken up bowhunting just so I can hunt in the rut in IL - only once in the past 10 years has gun season been close to the rut! IL deer hunting is so tilted to bowhunters it is insane - then they hunt a 3 day gun season weekend before Thanksgiving and then a 4 day season TWO weeks later which corresponds with nothing but the absolute end of rutting. STUPID!!
Bowhunters get all the time in between the the weekend gun seasons!